1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to targets for use in shooting practice and related electrical circuitry operative to provide a user with a display indicating the nature of a hit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shooting targets are commonly used for recreational purposes and in the training of police officers and marksmen. Considerable effort has been put forth to create an electronic device which provides immediate feedback to the user indicating the success of his shot. Such apparatus allows the trainee to make immediate corrective action, and thereby spend his time more productively. Furthermore, it allows recreational users to keep track of their "score".
Previous U.S. Pats. employing an electrical self-indicating target include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,004,763; 3,469,843; 3,529,828; and 3,656,056. Most of the prior art devices utilize separated electrodes formed on the target which are momentarily contacted by an electrically conductive bullet or other projectile to establish a short circuit therebetween. This short circuit is used to indicate that a projectile has hit the target. U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,828 discloses one such shorting type target divided into a plurality of zones with circuitry adapted to indicate which zone of the target is hit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,569,843 discloses a target in which shorting occurs when a conductive layer of the target itself is forced into electrical contact with a backing layer of the target, eliminating the need for an electrically conductive projectile.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,004,763 discloses an indicating target which utilizes capacitance to indicate a hit. In that system the target is comprised of two electrically conductive plates separated by an insulator. Each plate has a capacitance with reference to the ground. When a projectile passes through one of the plates this capacitance is momentarily charged. A resistor network is utilized to measure this change.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,056 discloses a device which indicates the point a bullet or like projectile passes a line, or the direction from which it came. This device utilizes changes in electrical resistance. Penetration of the target decreases its resistivity by effectively shorting two conductive layers together.
Each of the above targets utilizes a system of indicating lights to display the results of a shot of the user.
These targets have a number of deficiencies. For example, in the conventional short circuit type detectors it has been found that high velocity projectiles may actually pass through the target without being detected. In addition, concentration of hits in small areas may cause the target to become unoperational. These targets are not easily replaced due to their high cost.